January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

As the new year begins, make your vision a priority! January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month. It is important to educate yourself about this sight-stealing disease. Early detection is critical…

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that can slowly destroy the delicate nerve fibers that carry signals from the back of the eye to the brain. Generally, high pressure within the eye is responsible for the damage, but even patients with normal pressure can experience loss of this important nerve function due to glaucoma.

It’s important to be checked yearly to ensure glaucoma is not present, because patients do not always feel the symptomatic elevated eye pressure as it slowly robs them of their sight. Because it can be inherited, if one family member has glaucoma, other family members should be checked.

While glaucoma typically affects people age 40 and older, it can strike at any age. Glaucoma is called “the silent thief” because there is no pain or noticeable change in vision during the early stages of the disease.

No treatment can restore vision already lost to glaucoma. The goal of treatment is to prevent further vision loss.

Click here to read more about the types of glaucoma and learn about the available treatment options.